At around 7:55 p.m. on Wednesday, a man attempted to enter St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York with two gas cans that held four gallons of gas, two butane lighters, and two containers of lighter fluid. He was arrested, and police, as well as the Joint Terrorism Task Force, are investigating.

Around 7:55pm, a man walked into St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan with gas cans and lighter fluid, and was subsequently apprehended by @NYPDCT without incident. We thank our partners for their help, and remember – if you see something, say something. pic.twitter.com/qEbmklnqzQ

BREAKING: A 37-year-old emotionally disturbed man was apprehended by the NYPD Counterterrorism Unit after bringing gas cans into St. Patrick’s Cathedral tonight. No one was injured. NYPD press conference shortly pic.twitter.com/Gp05G3z6cf

On the heels of the conflagration at Notre Dame, this individual, identified as 37 year old Marc Lamparello, told police that he was just “cutting through” the cathedral to get to his car because he was “out of gas.” Police checked his car and it had gas in it. Apparently he didn’t get the word that many cities were now on “high alert” after the French landmark burned.

“At about 7:55 p.m., the individual returned to that minivan, takes out two 2-gallon cans of gasoline, plastic bag containing two bottles of lighter fluid, the type of which you would use to light a charcoal grill or a barbecue, two extended lighters, butane lighters controlled by a trigger. The man then walked to the cathedral where he was confronted by a cathedral security officer who asked him where he was going and informs him he can’t proceed into the cathedral carrying these things…

“There was some very good work done here, obviously by the St. Patrick’s Cathedral security officer who encountered this man immediately inside, as well as the two CRC police officers who tracked him down, engaged him in conversation, questioned him, located the vehicle and took him into custody. ” NYPD Deputy Commissioner John Miller at press conference

As he spoke with the security officer, a small amount of gasoline spilled out onto the floor. The security officer notified the CRC officers and they took him into custody a short time later.

The NYPD maintains a presence at the cathedral, which contributed to the speed at which the man was arrested.

Lamparello is reportedly an adjunct philosophy professor who graduated from Boston College, and at one point was the music director at a cathedral in New Jersey, according to heavy.com. He is a native of New Jersey. During his interview with police, he did not mention the Notre Dame fire. The motive is unknown at this point.

I'm a published author of 3 in-print creative nonfiction books: Dog Paw Chronicles- Life Journeys, Whispers of Heaven, and Bobby Convict - I've written numerous short stories in anthologies, blogs and editorials. I've been working at Uncle Sam's Misguided Children since 2013. I have two degrees in Criminal Justice and worked for over 31 years at a local police department. I am a patriotic American.